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| Name | McCourt – James |
|---|---|
| Regiment (s) | 18th Regiment |
| Regiment Number (s) | 942 |
| Date/Age/Place/Trade or Profession at Attestation | 10th January 1835 / 18 years / Newry Down Ireland Labourer |
| Description – Height Complexion/Eyes/Hair/Scars | 5 Ft 6¾ in Sallow / Hazel / Black / None |
| Overseas Service/Duration | Ceylon – 3 years 2 months China – 7 years 6 months India – 6 years 4 months |
| Length of Service | 21 years 72 days |
| Rank/Date/Place of Discharge | Private / 29th July 1856 / Chatham Kent England |
| Campaign Medals | None known |
| Intended Residence at Discharge | St. Werburgh Parish Dublin Dublin Ireland |
| Pension Districts | 1856 1st Dublin 1856 Newry 1857 1st Dublin 1862 Bermuda (in transit) 1863-1882 Western Australia 1882-1885 Melbourne Victoria Australia |
| Pension Paid | 9d per diem 1873 Increased to 1/1½d per diem for service Enrolled Force |
| Date of Departure and Place England or Ireland | 30th October 1862 Gravesend England (via Bermuda) |
| Ship and Date of Arrival Western Australia | MERCHANTMAN 15th February 1863 |
| Date/Place of Birth | c1817 Bundoran Donegal Ireland |
| Date/Place of Baptism | Not yet known |
| Father Date/Place of Birth | Not yet known |
| Mother Date/Place of Birth Marriage | Not yet known |
| Siblings | Not yet known |
| 1st Wife Date of Birth or Baptism | REDDIN Esther B 1840 or 1844 Ireland |
| Date/Place of Marriage | 3rd November 1858 Kingston Dublin Ireland |
| Children by 1st Wife | Hugh James (Hugo) B 26th September 1859 6 Great Longford Street Dublin Dublin Ireland D 15th February 1924 Western Australia bur Roman Catholic Section Karrakatta Cemetery Western Australia Timothy B 18th April 1861 28 Towd Street Dublin Dublin Ireland D 8th August 1940 Western Australia bur Roman Catholic Section Karrakatta Cemetery Western Australia Daniel (David) B 3rd December 1862 at sea M BYRNE Helen1889 Caulfield Victoria Australia D 1931 South Melbourne Victoria Australia Marion (Marian) (or Maria Anna or Mary Ann) B 24th April 1867 Fremantle Western Australia M 1st COWAN Henry 1889 Victoria M 2nd KIDMAN Charles Norman/Nunn 11th July 1900 Adelaide South Australia D 26th September 1902 Perth Western Australia bur Roman Catholic Section Karrakatta Cemetery Western AustraliaWilliam Thomas Reddin B 12th October 1868 Western Australia M MANNING Maria 1894 Perth Western Australia D 2nd February 1945 East Fremantle Western Australia bur Roman Catholic Section Fremantle Cemetery Western Australia John B 1877 Western Australia M BEERE Margaret 1904 Perth Western Australia D 27th November 1947 Subiaco Western Australia bur Presbyterian Section Karrakatta Cemetery Western Australia |
| Father of 1st wife Date/Place of Birth | RIDDAN (sic) Hugh James Not yet known |
| Mother of 1st wife Date/Place of Birth Marriage | SHORT Ann Not yet known |
| Land Grants Western Australia | 1st September 1881 Application for Fee Simple for Victoria Lot 20 Bootenal – 20 acres 3roods 36 perches |
| Occupation after Arrival | Not yet known |
| Newspaper Articles | TThe Argus 14th May 1885 – page 1 The West Australian Friday 22nd February 1918 page 1 Funeral notice Essy McCourt |
| Departure from Western Australia | c1882 to Victoria Australia |
| Date/Place of Death/Burial | 12th May 1885 River Street Yarraberg Victoria Australia Boroondara General Cemetery Kew Victoria Australia |
| Date/Place of Death/Burial Wife | 21st February 1918 Subiaco Western Australia Roman Catholic Section Karrakatta Cemetery Western Australia |
| Will or Probate | None known |
| Further Information | British Army Worldwide Index 1851 James McCourt 942 Private 18th Foot location Hong Kong and Canton 1861 James McCourt 942 Private 18th Foot location Fort William Calcutta Discharge due to chronic rheumatism. The Surgeon Superintendent of the Merchantman considered James McCourt’s conduct Very Good despite neglecting to take his bed on deck and having dirty water in his berth – liquor lost for 3 days. Mrs McCourt he considered ‘a violent and most un-manageable woman. She was reported to me by her husband for keeping company with single men on-board and refusing to come to bed at 10pm’. Timothy McCourt age 1 year 8 months received medical treatment during the voyage. Mr and Mrs James McCourt sailed from Champion Bay 31st March 1882 as passengers on the Otway to Fremantle and then James left Western Australia for Victoria while Esther, Hugh, Timothy and John remained at Perth. Daniel and Mary Ann also went to the Eastern States about this time. Cons 3403/1919/198 Essy McCourt Will of Essy McCourt dated 1 October 1917 I, Essy McCourt leave to my sons Hugh James and Timothy McCourt all I possess to be equally dived between them at my death. Witnesses: Catherine Blair & Martha Parker The estate valued at 238 pounds was made up of: Real estate being Perth Suburban Lot 241 and being lot 65 on plan 326. Improvements being a 3 roomed weather board house in Robinson Street Subiaco with a value of 230 poundsSecond marriage of Marian (Mary Ann) McCourt was to Charles Nunn Kidman the brother of Sir Sydney Kidman so we have a link to the Kidman Family amongst our pensioners although she died after 2 years because of a botched operation. Newspaper reports make interesting reading it looks as if she had an abortion previous to her second marriage which made it impossible for her to have other children (she had a son Henry Cowan) and when she tried to have the damage repaired it all went wrong as she died and resulted in a lengthy court case when he husband sued. |